Wheeler's Steel * Stuck in the metal with you

Thak you for taking the time and documenting your processes. As stated before in so many words; I can't believe the amount of free advice. :thumbup:

The Steve Johnson DVD on building a sub-hilt shows using the polished guard in the way you used the mirror. Thanks for re-enforcing the idea.
 
Nick your attention to detail is sublime


I am just glad I have A Nick Wheeler knife thanks bud
 
Thanks,

I'm actually excited about going out and redoing a guard that I now know how to improve.

Thanks to your pictures and instructions.. priceless

THANKS AGAIN!!:D
 
Nick,
Do Not Stop taking the pictures. It is always great to see how someone else approaches a project. Yes much of what you are doing is old hat for some but there are a few new and old tricks that you have explained that makes more sense now. Keep at it and thanks for the great WIP.
 
don't worry about the pics, there'll be another boatload for you in about 3 hours:)
 
Marking the pattern for the handle on the block and figuring out where to cut the block for the front of the handle;

aycMiQ4.jpg


I cut the front end of the block, then took it to the 12" disc sander to square it up;

7Oue38U.jpg


This particular wood will burn really easily, so I decided not to use the disc sander on it and true the front of the block by hand. This is a little jig I made for just such an occasion. It's basically a big block of micarta that has been machined so it can be used as a slider to keep a handle block square to the granite plate.

There is a relief machined into the bottom of the block, so you can pass over the sand paper without the jig touching it... only the handle material will make contact with the sand paper;

OiDUnMT.jpg


same thing, just different views of it;

BvV4V2N.jpg



7sMCwHI.jpg


Normally I would just sand the block face like this... sand paper glued to the granite plate, and sanding with smooth pulls. The jig works better if you need to take a fair amount of material off;

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Checking the face of the block with the square head while it's back-lit. It needs to be FLAT;

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Laying out the tang now that the front of the block is flat;

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The tang all laid out;

RvGGQxD.jpg


Here's something I came up with that I really like. This is a surface gauge... basically it is an adjustable height scribe (like a height gauge) and I have taped a sharpie to it. I put the handle block on the big granite surface plate, then set the surface gauge/marker to draw in my lay-out lines on the front of the block;

5dVwr7Q.jpg
 
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Close up of the handle/tang lay-out;

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Laying out the tang thickness on the front of the handle block;

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Here's the front of the handle block, all laid out for the tang;

iDuVwlp.jpg


Lining up the handle block in the mill using a long center drill as a guide;

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I use the center drill to start the holes. If you just drill down into an angle surface like this with a regular drill bit, the bit will walk and not enter the block where you want it to;

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I like to drill the handle blocks like this using wax as a lubricant. It helps to keep the drill clean... super dense hardwoods have a tendency to load up in the flutes of the drill bit really fast;

FSutthB.jpg


With some woods like this, I keep a nylon brush there to help clear the wood from the bit as it's drawn back out of the block;

d4BqvJL.jpg


After drilling two holes that match the profile of the tang as closely as I can get with two long straight lines, I have some webbing between the holes that has to be removed. I like these Zip bits in the Foredom to make quick work of it;

LY7yEHA.jpg


I chase it a little more with the hand drill and the long drill bit;

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At this point, I move to the John Perry broaches. I have two of these from John, and they are absolutely amazing tools. I can't believe I did so many hidden tangs in this shop with OUT John's broaches;

c9LUGSI.jpg
 
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Hogging out the rest of the material for the tang with one of John Perry's broaches;

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Filing the sides for a little clean-up;

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The tang hole starting to clean up pretty nicely. This is before the first try fit;

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Here's the first try fit of handle to tang;

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fancy way to check the depth and see if we're getting in there deep enough ;);

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Getting closer;

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I drew a reference line right after taking the previous photo... drawn right across the tang to show how deep it was in the handle block. In this picture I'm laying the tang down using that line as a reference. Fortunately, it looks like it's going into the handle right where we need it to;

W4emSAf.jpg


Getting closer still :)... more work with the broach and file....

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Closer... more broach and file ;);

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I got this last email from Nick at 4:33AM:eek:!


********



Soooo close... but I gotta get some sleep!!! :)


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Lorien said:
Here's something I came up with that I really like. This is a surface gauge... basically it is an adjustable height scribe (like a height gauge) and I have taped a sharpie to it. I put the handle block on the big granite surface plate, then set the surface gauge/marker to draw in my lay-out lines on the front of the block;
335.jpg
Click to expand...

All right Nick.. I've loved all these photos and the little jigs you've made but I gotta call shenanigans on this one.:p From what I've seen I'm sure your block is perfectly square and anyway this wouldn't work if it wasn't so why not just use a small square or a saddle square to draw these lines? This is great stuff but this contraption really made me laugh.:D

Really really enjoying this tread. Thanks guys.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Patrice Lemée;9169180 said:
Stuart, probably just a bug in his robot programming. ;)
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Ha Ha... I think the fun of making jigs got the better of him. I mean a sharpie taped to a rod and about 5-6" from the block..:p:p That's got to be about the most imprecise way to draw those lines.:D:D
 
Nick

how wide is your guard to start - I mean side to side, not top to bottom?

It looks like about 1/4 - 3/8 thick or so?

how much "extra" do you usually leave compared to its final width?

Thanks

Bill
 
gorgeous chunk o wood! Wonder what type it is?
the black and copper spacers are going to look great!!!
 
Could it be Ringed Gidgee?
Just a wild guess because the end grain looks like some sort of Acacia and you mentioned it could burn when powersanding so it must be something really hard.
 
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Lorien said:
At this point, I move to the John Perry broaches. I have two of these from John, and they are absolutely amazing tools. I can't believe I did so many hidden tangs in this shop with OUT John's broaches;
345.jpg
Click to expand...



These are the coolest tools ever. I'd rather wait to a visit to Dan Farr's shop and use his Perry broaches than weasel and worm without them. Definitely on my short list of acquisitions!
 
SBranson said:
All right Nick.. I've loved all these photos and the little jigs you've made but I gotta call shenanigans on this one.:p From what I've seen I'm sure your block is perfectly square and anyway this wouldn't work if it wasn't so why not just use a small square or a saddle square to draw these lines? This is great stuff but this contraption really made me laugh.:D

Really really enjoying this tread. Thanks guys.:thumbup::thumbup:
Click to expand...


Stewart,

The best part about this jig is yet to come and I guarantee you will be cheering not laughing. I was struggling with handle shaping and Nick told me about this jig. Hang in there and let the guy get some rest.
 
This is a great wip, guys, thanks for doing it. regarding the Perry broaches, it looks like they would be easy to make.

Dave

Nick, you have a shop to die for!
 
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